For the Fallen Dreams
by JamiesFanGirl
Summary: Jonah falls in love. ---A few days after "Termination for Cause---
1. One

**Copyright:** Jericho isn't mine. This is your only warning.

**Warning:** M-rated language. Elizabeth's responses are in British spelling/grammar just for the heck of it. This is also primarily an "I love Jonah, so I'm making myself happy" fic…you have been warned!

**Requests:** No military-picking, please. (For those of you that aren't aware, the additional designation is usually stripped from titles during conversation; thus, both first and second lieutenants are referred to as "lieutenant", while every form of sergeant is merely called "sergeant".) No show-picking, either, please—apparently, I missed a few of the things that Tomarchio repealed after becoming president.

**Background:** Jericho is a city-state, much in the manner of Ancient Rome. The military has been able to gain enough funding and supplies to build a wall; within it is a gate that is patrolled from sunset to sunrise and treated somewhat like a customs border from sunrise to sunset.

**

* * *

**

**One**

"I'm sorry, but there won't be any trial. I had to step out for some business and when I returned, one of the residents had already killed him."

"Have you caught the culprit?"

Major Beck nodded. "Mr. Richmond returned to his farm at the end of a short sentence."

"You gave a _murderer_ a short sentence?" the young captain echoed in disbelief. "Why wasn't he sent to Cheyenne for further punishment?"

"I was appointed Chief Administrator after Goetz was removed from office," Beck replied, leaning over his desk. "It's my discretion and if I say that Stanley Richmond deserves a slap on the wrist for executing the embezzler that murdered his sister, then that's what he gets!"

"Of course, sir," Elizabeth bowed her head, subdued.

"Now," Beck continued, straightening up. Do you have further orders, Captain Shaughnessy, or will you be on the first humvee back to wherever you came from?"

The young woman produced an envelope. "Colonel Potter said that I wasn't supposed to open this until the trial was over."

"Now would be as good a time as any," he replied, handing her a letter opener.

Flashing a grateful smile, the captain removed the letter and reviewed it with impressive speed. "I've been detached to serve as the Assistant Administrator of the City-State of Jericho."

"An Air Force officer?" Beck asked, accepting the proffered pages.

"While you're off asking questions, be sure to inquire why they sent me to perform an execution at an Army garrison."

"My best guess is that you were the finest rifleman to hand when they found out about Mr. Goetz's…problem."

Elizabeth flushed. "I was promoted to sharpshooter the last time I qualified on the M16."

"Then you won't mind being assigned to patrol for a few nights, will you…ah…" Beck looked down at the letter. "Elizabeth? Just until I get your paperwork sorted out?"

* * *

"Hi."

Elizabeth looked up from adjusting her helmet, somewhat startled. "Good evening, ma'am."

"Are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before." The young woman stopped underneath a street light, giving Elizabeth the chance to take in her glossy blonde curls and smiling gray eyes.

"Captain Elizabeth Shaughnessy. I was just assigned to Jericho as the assistant administrator, but I'm patrolling the wall for a few nights to get a feel for things."

The other woman's smile spread to her lips as she came forward to shake Elizabeth's hand. "Emily Sullivan. I'm a teacher around here…or at least I will be, when things settle down a little more."

Elizabeth returned the smile, secretly thinking of how to get out of the conversation so that she could relieve Specialist Parr.

"It's so nice to see someone close to my age assigned to help run Jericho!"

"I hope I can run things to your satisfaction, Ms. Sullivan. I must apologize, however," the captain replied. "I have to get up on the wall and relieve someone from duty."

"One more thing before you go?"

"Yes?"

"There's this guy you should watch out for. He usually hangs around his place, about ten miles outside of town, but the other female soldiers have been talking a lot lately…I guess he's getting tired of prostitutes."

Elizabeth made a slightly disbelieving noise and shook her head. "There are still prostitutes after all this?"

"Apparently there have been a whole slew of women coming to the compound in the last several years…and the bombs did nothing to slow the trade. Between twenty-five and thirty men live there, so there has been some argument as to whether the women are all for him, but…"

"But the…sexual habits…of those who live on the compound have brought enough riffraff to town that the effect has been noticeable."

"Exactly."

"Interesting," Elizabeth said after a moment. "And how do you know all this?"

"Like I said…the soldiers have been talking…more so since it became obvious that this guy intended to approach _all_ of them. Besides, anyone who's been here a while knows that nothing good happens when he's around."

The captain was quiet for a moment. "What is this gentleman's name?"

"I think they said it was Jonah Prowse." Emily put on her best "I don't know" face and sort of shrugged. "Evidently he has blue eyes that you just can't miss. Don't bother to go looking for him, though…as soon as his pirates get word, he'll come looking for you."

* * *

He stopped a few yards from the wall and drew a pair of small binoculars…only to find that there was already a full-sized pair looking back at him, ruby lenses winking in the dim light of the perimeter.

_Dammit!_ he thought, shoving the binoculars back into his pocket. _So much for being stealthy!_

Jonah waited for the call to identify himself, but none came.

_Wonder what the odds are that I can get in to see the new girl tonight?_

With rotating duty shifts, he'd had the chance to talk to every woman stationed in Jericho. They had all turned him down at least once…some so often that he was beginning to wonder if the Army had some secret manual for getting each other off.

"Jonah Prowse," said an amused English voice. "I heard you might be stopping by."

He hadn't realized that he had unconsciously kept moving toward the wall until the beam of an LED flashlight burned into his eyes. After a moment, the beam jumped to his forehead, so that when his vision cleared, Jonah could see a young officer with a Smith & Wesson trained on him in the classic law enforcement stance.

"I didn't realize that I'd sent a messenger," Jonah replied, holding up his hands.

"Let's just say that 'the pirate with the sultry blue eyes' is a hot orientation topic around here." The young woman turned off the flashlight and stowed it, but kept the pistol trained on him as she reached back for her assault rifle.

He allowed a tiny smile to creep onto his face. "I didn't think any of the other ladies had noticed…they all took off so fast."

"Apparently, they stick around long enough to decide against having a drink with the devil for themselves."

"And what fearless young thing stands in front of me? Surely not an import from Cheyenne?"

"Captain Elizabeth Shaughnessy, Allied States Air Force. All you need to know is that I came over from Sheffield, England when I was thirteen."

"I…" Jonah's thought was cut short by the captain taking off her helmet. In this light, the color of her hair was just like his own. Nevertheless, he was sure that sunshine would reveal a French twist the color of old gold, just as he was sure that her eyes were an unusual shade of bluish-gray.

Suddenly, the hair on Jonah's arms prickled and he began to sweat. He backed away as his stomach turned over and his heart began to pound.

"I have to go!"

* * *

**Author's Note**

1. James Remar actually has gray eyes...I have a couple of pictures where they appear blue, so that's why I got confused.


	2. Two

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Two**

When a second lunchtime had passed without any sign of their leader, the gang showed their concern by sending the medic to Jonah's quarters. They covered it by bitching in twos and threes that Jonah hadn't been around to do his fair share, but Javier knew otherwise; just as he knew that everyone in the gang had at least a grudging respect for him and most actually _liked_ him. But maybe that was because they were smart enough not to mess with a man who could poison them in their sleep.

Javier knocked and entered at Jonah's halfhearted response. As he expected, the older man was on the bed, stripped down to his boxers. Jonah's eyes said that he'd had a rough couple of nights, but Javier still asked,

"Are you okay?"

"Not the best." Jonah rolled to one side and sat up from there.

"Mind if I take a look?"

Jonah shrugged noncommittally and Javier swooped in to look in his ears, listen to his heart and check his pulse. When Jonah's blood pressure and temperature came back normal, Javier plopped into a chair and grabbed his clipboard.

"Any symptoms?"

"Nauseous. My heart races once in a while. I randomly sweat and when my mind isn't going over a hundred million things, all I want to do is sleep."

The medic scribbled frantically. "Are you urinating more? Vision blurry? Feet bothering you?"

"My feet and my eyes are fine. If anything, I piss _less_ because I'm sleeping half the time!"

Javier threw the clipboard aside. "Good. Then it's a whole lot easier than diabetes!"

Jonah raised an eyebrow.

"You're falling in love! The nausea, the sleep and some of the other stuff is your body's way of protesting against it!" Javier grinned. "This must be _some_ woman…I never pegged you for love at first sight!"

"Isn't there any way to fix it?"

"It's called alcohol. Take two shots and call me in the morning."

"I'm serious!"

Javier shrugged. "You were married, once. You should know that there is no 'fix' for any of this."

"I should go jump in the river!"

The medic made a derogatory noise. "And let Warren take over? Hardly!" Javier reached for the clipboard and dashed off a quick note. "One more day of rest, I think. I'll let those old hens know that they should expect you after lunch tomorrow."

"Then what? I'm not going to drink for the rest of my life!"

Javier sniggered.

"You know what I mean!"

"What do you do when Emily pisses you off?"

"Work." Jonah settled back onto the bed. "Fix everything until I run out of shit to do, then go looking for trouble…or booty…whichever comes first."

"Double entendré implied!" Javier grinned. "Do that, then. A lot of it. You'll have a better handle on things by the time you get bored; then I'll either get to meet Mystery Woman or you'll have kicked her to the curb!"

* * *

"Did he come find you?"

Elizabeth looked up, startled. "I beg your pardon?"

The other woman straightened up and saluted. "I was inquiring if Mr. Prowse paid you a visit last night, ma'am."

Elizabeth gave her a hard look. "Shut the door."

Master Sergeant Marielle Bancroft, the young woman assigned to be Elizabeth's aide, closed the door as quietly as possible and then leaned against it, as if she had no intention of leaving.

"You're breaking protocol, Sergeant."

"Oh, come _on_, Elizabeth! Ma'am," she added hastily. "I may have only known you for less than a day, but I _know_ you're not as strict as all that!"

Elizabeth paused and glanced out the window. "I never said I was the sort to kiss and tell," she replied in a low voice.

Marielle nearly squeaked, but covered her mouth just in time. "He actually _kissed_ you?!"

"Not yet. But I wouldn't put it past him."

The soldier rushed forward and sat down in front of her superior, who immediately swore the other to secrecy.

"Of course!" Marielle nearly sighed with joy. "When I was first stationed here, I thought Jonah was just a player…but then I heard a little more about him. He used to be married, you know; a couple of kids. They say he was some big shot at the salt mine, in charge of their transportation contracts or something…before he ran into some…um…_problems_."

"Are his children still around here?"

"One of the local girls told me his son died in a tragic accident. His daughter is a teacher at one of the schools around here, but no one has seen his wife since the divorce. Some even speculate that Mrs. Prowse passed away a few years after she left Jericho."

Elizabeth tilted her head like a bird. "Does Ms. Prowse have long, curly blonde hair and grey eyes?"

"I only saw her at a distance once, so I can't say about the eyes. But she definitely has curly blonde hair."

"I met her last night," Elizabeth replied thoughtfully. "Except she introduced herself as Emily Sullivan."

"Weird," Marielle agreed.

"What's _really_ strange is the way Mr. Prowse—Jonah—was acting last night."

"Not as flirty as usual?"

"No. I mean…not that I would know…I don't have enough previous experience with him to judge." Elizabeth frowned. "I removed my helmet…I think I had the strap too tight…but shortly after I did that, he grew pale and ran off!"

When the silence lasted too long, Marielle leaned toward Elizabeth.

"Don't even _think_ of going out there, ma'am! Most of them don't have hearts. They'll pick you up and carry you away…if they don't rape you on the spot!"

The warning, however practical, would have fallen under insubordination, had Elizabeth not felt the urgency behind it. Marielle's expression softened.

"If you are _that_ concerned, wait a few days. After that, if there has been no word from anyone and you have not seen him personally; then—and _only_ then—should you assemble a fireteam and go out to the compound."

Glancing up, the young captain saw her superior striding toward her office and gestured her aide away. "I forgive you for any insubordination you may have incurred, but you need to go back to work before Major Beck mistakes your words otherwise!

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. Most people probably wouldn't associate blurry vision with diabetes, but a girl I knew in elementary school temporarily lost her vision at the time she was diagnosed—her sugar had gone up to 900.

2. Don't worry how Elizabeth will explain her little trip out to the compound…I've got it covered. ;)

3. I think Javier was a nurse-practitioner before he became a pirate, but I've never had cause to figure things out that far. ^_^


	3. Three

**The Drill:** British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

**RATING:** This is a little more stringent M than usual...it involves a near sexual event, so use your best judgment.

* * *

**Three**

Elizabeth's worries came to an end a few days later.

"I need to speak with Captain Shaughnessy."

The fresh-faced private, who had only had the misfortune of encountering Jonah once before, jumped a mile.

"On what grounds, sir?"

"None of your business." Jonah leered, knowing that the look would hold quite a bit of weight with the young man. "Just get me the captain and nothing will go wrong."

"Right-right-right away, sir!"

The private nearly fled and the pirate shook his head.

"Military's the wrong place for that kid."

Jonah glanced across the pen and found himself rewarded by the sight of Elizabeth beckoning from what used to be the city clerk's office.

"I am glad to see that you have recovered," she said after he had settled in the chair across from her desk. "Did you figure out the problem?"

"Medic said it might be diabetes. Gotta watch my blood sugar."

"That's too bad!" Elizabeth frowned as she slid into her own chair. "I hope it turns out to be something else, like the twenty-four hour influenza."

Jonah stayed quiet, as if to remind her that pirates didn't need sympathy.

"But I trust that if you have a medic of your own, you don't need help with acquiring testing supplies or medication?"

"I need some disputes resolved."

"I believe the sheriff's department is responsible for that sort of thing. We are here to help the city-state resolve itself into a city and re-establish independence; our resources are only meant for stamping out larger conflicts."

"My men won't listen to the sheriff _or_ the Rangers. I told them that if they didn't knock it off, I'd get the Army involved."

Jonah had gotten to his feet during the second part and now moved to whisper in her ear. She squirmed a little and when he finished, Elizabeth colored. The pirate tugged the captain out of her chair.

"Grab your gear. Let's go."

* * *

"Do you _always_ use sexual coercion?"

"Only when the threat of knives and bullets doesn't work!" Jonah flashed Elizabeth a half smile and she allowed herself to blush a little as soon as he turned his back.

Elizabeth thought that the ride out to the compound was **amazing**. They went faster than she had known a motorcycle could go and Elizabeth secretly enjoyed the solid warmth of Jonah's body underneath her own. She didn't want the ride to end…but there would be time to address that later.

"I'll see to it that they don't bite," Jonah murmured as he ushered the captain through the gate.

"Alright, jokers, listen up! This is Captain Shaughnessy, Allied States Air Force. Don't touch her, talk to her or get near her unless you want your head blown off. She's packing a Smith & Wesson, a stiletto and hell knows _what_ else…so play nicely!"

Jonah turned back to Elizabeth and subtly squeezed her hand. "Who would you like to negotiate with first?"

* * *

"The other guys say I'm gay because I like to cook," Javier announced, ladling soup into bowls. "But who else is going to put food on the table? You can't expect the prostitutes to do it!"

Jonah gave him a Look, but Elizabeth merely smiled.

"I have no doubt you're straight. These gentlemen would eat you _alive_ if they thought for a second that you were gay!"

"You're too kind to call them gentlemen," Jonah smirked.

Elizabeth maintained her smile around her chicken salad sandwich. "Thank you for inviting me to lunch, Javier."

"Much better than you'd get in the mess hall, I'm sure."

"How is Jonah's pre-diabetes?"

Both men nearly choked on their cream of vegetable soup at her question. Javier recovered first and eyed Jonah as he wiped his mouth.

"Progressing nicely. I've been trying to keep him away from the sweets and the alcohol," he shot Jonah a pointed look. "But it's proving a little more difficult than expected."

"Would you excuse us for a moment?"

Jonah fairly dragged Javier out of the room, slamming the door behind them. They kept their voices low, but Elizabeth could still hear everything.

"What are you _**doing?!**_"

"She asked about your diabetes, so I told her!"

"I asked you to stay off the topic!"

"I haven't _said_ anything, yet!"

"Then keep your mouth shut while I'm in the can!"

Javier returned a moment later and tried not to meet the captain's eye as he settled the rag that passed for a napkin back into his lap.

"Not diabetes?"

"It could be…I haven't risked a black eye to check his blood, yet."

"And if the results come back in the normal range?" Elizabeth pressed.

"Then Jonah Prowse has a _significant_ crush on you."

"You're kidding?"

"I know that a modern day Han Solo isn't every woman's idea of falling in love…"

"No, that's fine…it's just…so fast!"

"Not a word to Jonah, though. Let the chips fall where they may." Javier stilled. "He's coming back!"

Elizabeth dove into the dregs of her soup, now cold, and tried to forget what medic had said. When the door opened, Jonah gave them pointed looks, but Javier and Elizabeth were concentrating on finishing their lunches, seemingly lost in their own thoughts.

* * *

"It was very kind of Javier to make lunch for us," said Elizabeth as Jonah pulled her into his room.

"Cut the chatter," he ordered. "I know you and Javier talked while I was taking a piss. What about?"

"Ordinary things. How long I've been in the service, where I'm from…"

_**I**__ don't even know those things!_ Jonah thought. What he said was, "If you don't tell me the truth, you _walk_ back to Jericho."

oOoOoOo

It wasn't a _hard_ answer, as such things go. Elizabeth only had to say, "Whether you're falling in love" to please him. But the words wouldn't come out.

Unfortunately for her, Jonah had found a bottle of something on the way back from the bathroom—all of which he had consumed before arriving, by the stench on his breath.

Such a simple equation, it seems, for something so foul as rape.

oOoOoOo

"You're lucky I don't hit women!" Jonah slurred as he gagged Elizabeth with a black bandanna.

The pirate went to reach for her hands, but the captain was too fast. As soon as Jonah doubled over from a knee to the groin, Elizabeth pushed him away and tumbled off the bed. Her eyes on her aggressor, the captain reached down and pulled the stiletto from her left ankle before she tore off the bandanna.

"I don't mind if you play _nicely_," Elizabeth hissed. "But this is going too far!"

"You…you really think you can hit me with that thing?" he gasped.

"Just because I'm a sharpshooter doesn't mean I can't throw a dagger!" Flipping it into her left hand, Elizabeth drew a small gun from inside her jacket. "I'll have Javier bring me my sidearm later."

Jonah had straightened up a bit by this point, causing Elizabeth to do a grapevine in an effort to reach the door. When she got there, the captain sheathed the stiletto and added,

"I'll get _myself_ back to town. You just stay here and get sober!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. When I drafted the opening to the lunch scene, I could hear Javier speaking with Mario Cantone's voice…but that's probably because I'd just finished watching JR's _Sex and the City_ episodes!

2. I was going to have Elizabeth pull the little gun out of her bra, but my fear of her blowing off her breasts stopped me from doing it. :P

3. In case you're wondering what Jonah said to Elizabeth before they left for the compound, I'll tell you the same thing I told a friend of mine: "I don't know what Jonah suggested to Elizabeth, except it was hot, messy and **extremely** sexy!" (Or something like that. ^_^)


	4. Four

**The Drill:** R-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Four**

"Are you _sure_?" Edward Beck's eyes were almost fatherly under the icy shade of anger.

"Yes, sir," Elizabeth replied without hesitation. "I do not like him any less than any other citizen of this city-state; I have no reason for a false accusation."

"Even after what he did to you?"

"My opinion of Mr. Prowse after the incident is subjective and therefore irrelevant to my report."

Edward made a gesture halfway between agreement and acquiescence. "I'll notify the sheriff, but I'm sure he'll agree that this is within our jurisdiction."

"Whom do you plan to send?"

"Wiltse, backed up by a squad. I'd send Bancroft, but I think your aide is too close to the situation to make both sides happy."

"A whole _squad_?"

"Sure. Between six and eight to arrest and another eight to cover their backs."

_That is nearly a platoon!_ Elizabeth thought. "One might think you're arresting Godzilla and not Jonah Prowse."

Edward met Elizabeth's gaze. "You've been out there. Do we need a squad or will a fireteam be sufficient?"

The captain's eyes rolled up toward the ceiling in thought. "If we bank on the idea that Prowse isn't going to come quietly, then we'll need between two and four soldiers just to subdue him. If _I_ were running the operation, I would have two or three with their weapons trained on him at all times and at least five watching the other pirates to make sure that they don't pull anything stupid."

"How many does that make?" Beck prompted.

Elizabeth sighed in defeat. "At most, twelve; at least, nine."

"A large squad, in other words."

oOoOoOo

Despite Elizabeth's request to take the rest of the day off, Marielle found her in the house that served as the female officers' residence. After the master sergeant discovered that everyone else was on duty, she and the captain got deep into discussion about what had happened to the latter after lunch.

"Did the medic _seriously_ say that?"

"Not a _word_ to anyone else! The town would have our asses if they knew."

"They're going to find out when the trial starts!" Marielle replied. "Either way, there can't be an impartial jury if half of them want to run Jonah out of town!"

"I have no idea what Major Beck intends to do," Elizabeth admitted. "He could handle the case himself, he could hand it over to Lieutenant Casler…"

"What about turning him over to Cheyenne?"

"I don't think so. The situation is below the company commanders and isn't enough to require federal intervention, so it will probably be kept local."

Marielle nodded, then thought for a while before she murmured, "I can't believe Jonah Prowse is falling in love with you!"

"You're not going to believe how easily he gets off, either, if you don't do your job and help me with this brief for the prosecution!"


	5. Five

**The Drill:** R-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth, no legal-, show- or military-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Five**

Nausea hit her like a bullet train and Elizabeth tried her best not to roll off the bed. She stilled, trying to listen for the soft, even breathing of the others when she remembered that she was alone and had been for several days.

oOoOoOo

By the time Marielle had finished proofreading Elizabeth's deposition; Jonah had been captured and locked in the town's only cell. He had asked to see Elizabeth several times, but he was always refused—primarily on the basis of her own request. The seven officers stationed in Jericho had been ensconced in meetings for a day and a half after Jonah's capture, so that by the time things were resolved, two of the farms furthest from the wall had requested military presence in some form or another. There was no argument when Elizabeth was sent to oversee the operation.

All the luck ran out in her absence, however. When pressed later, neither officer nor enlisted person could tell Captain Shaughnessy the precise reason for Major Beck's change of heart—only that he had brought out a laptop with some information that he showed to the senior personnel. He met with Elizabeth upon her return and after a short meeting, announced to everyone in the administration building that he was defecting from the Allied States to whatever was left of the United States. Staff Sergeant Wiltse had gone with him, along with several of the men directly under Wiltse's command.

Elizabeth hadn't seen so much chaos in all her time in the Air Force, but had had a feeling that she was about to see more. Starting with the company commanders ordering her to take Edward's place.

oOoOoOo

Knowing that she had to recuse herself from the upcoming trial, the captain quickly handed the case over to the new assistant administrator, Lieutenant Casler. Most of the following days were spent moving into the cottage that Major Beck had called home, so that when Elizabeth finally returned to work, the backlog was atrocious. Ruby and the corporal newly assigned as her aide had taken quite a bit of flack over that.

oOoOoOo

Elizabeth's hand reached toward her bedside clock, but landed on a small pile of paper instead. Someone had taken pity on Jonah and passed him small slips from time to time, making sure that they were passed on to the captain when he was finished. Elizabeth hadn't read them, but had no desire to throw them away, either. Although she swore that she had carefully hidden them in a desk drawer in her office, the notes had somehow gotten packed in with her personal belongings and made the move from the officers' residence.

The sick feeling twinged again as she finally grabbed the clock.

_Probably stress_, she thought. _Or nerves over Jonah. Or both._

0330. Despite Lieutenant Casler's protestations to the contrary, Elizabeth had agreed to meet the incoming fireteams when the night patrol got off duty. Jonah's trial was to begin at 1030, regardless of whether Captain Shaughnessy was sitting next to the lieutenant serving as the prosecuting attorney.

_I'm not going to get back to sleep any time soon,_ Elizabeth silently added. _I should call Ruby and tell her that she can check in the fireteams after all._

After a few minutes of internal debate, the captain did just that. Lieutenant Casler admitted that she'd been hoping that Elizabeth would change her mind…just a whole lot sooner.

Padding back into the bedroom, Elizabeth spotted the scraps she'd felt earlier. "Why not? I'm already awake!"

Captain Shaughnessy sat on the edge of her bed, snapped on a nearby lamp and reached for the first note.

_Elizabeth,_

_I want to say that I'm sorry, but I know sorry won't cut it._

The note went on for a few more lines; she read it quickly and cast it aside.

There were nine all together—four versions of an apology, three attempts at poetry and two notes cursing her for being a nosy, selfish bitch of a temptress. Elizabeth found it amazing that a man could be so changeable over the course of a few days. She read the poems one last time and turned out the light.

oOoOoOo

The day dawned gray and chilly, the clouds holding an ominous threat of rain. Although Elizabeth had instructed the squad leaders to send their best and brightest out on day patrol, a decent crowd of Army-issued windbreakers was still streaming toward the church. The parson hadn't been seen since before the attacks, so it was the mayor who granted permission to turn the church into a courtroom; if only symbolically under the captain's command.

"I haven't had a chance to congratulate you."

Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to find Javier approaching her from the west side of the church.

"On being named administrator? Thank you. I don't know why Cheyenne left an Air Force officer in charge, though. I thought they were going to send a replacement with the convoy that picked up Major Beck and the others."

"Do you continue to ask obvious questions in the hopes that someone will one day give you the obvious answer?"

"Pardon me?"

"Never mind, captain. Let's go inside."

oOoOoOo

As she expected, the church was standing room only, packed tightly with soldiers and civilians alike. Javier bid her goodbye halfway down the aisle, leaving Elizabeth to slide into the pew set aside for the prosecution.

"Shit!" she exclaimed in a hiss. "I forgot to ask Velasquez if the defence is using an actual attorney!"

The first lieutenant next to her blinked like an owl. "They're pirates, ma'am. Do you _honestly_ believe that they can do any better than a law school dropout?"

Before Elizabeth could think of a reply, the sheriff boomed,

"All rise!"

Captain Shaughnessy got to her feet and peeked around the lieutenant to see that Jonah was indeed there; someone had carefully shaven him and found a suit so that, with the exception of his handcuffs, he looked rather professional and not at all like a smuggler.

"The court is now in session; the honorable First Lieutenant Ruby M. Casler presiding."

Resplendent in mess dress instead of judicial robes, Ruby stepped lightly onto the dais, nodded at Sheriff Green and slid carefully into an ancient wing chair of dusty rose.

"You may be seated."

Jonah caught Elizabeth's eye for a moment, but was unable to muster a smile before she looked back at Lieutenant Casler.

"We are gathered to hear the case of The People of the City-State of Jericho versus Jonah William Prowse," Ruby continued. "Lieutenant Miller, please present your opening statement."

"Lieutenant Casler, I would like to motion for the dismissal of this case," the defense attorney interrupted.

Ruby eyed him before shooting Captain Shaughnessy and Lieutenant Miller a startled glance. Both shrugged, causing her to hesitate before she turned back.

"On what grounds, counselor?"

"Insufficient evidence."

Lieutenant Casler raised an eyebrow. "Lieutenant Miller, what evidence do you intend to present?"

"A sworn affidavit from Captain Elizabeth L. Shaughnessy."

"No witnesses?"

"No ma'am." Lieutenant Miller hesitated. "We have a bottle…"

"Which could have been consumed by Mr. Prowse at any time before the incident!" snapped the would-be attorney.

"Objection!" Elizabeth shot to her feet. "Defence is forcing the prosecution to present evidence out of context!"

"Sustained!" Ruby agreed with a look that said she was afraid of disobeying her superior.

"Same way with the bandanna!" the man barged on. "The hair could have come from Captain Shaughnessy's ride out to the compound! Or—dare I say it—consensual bondage!"

"That is _enough_, counselor!" Ruby announced, collecting her wits at last. "This court is in recess. Prosecution, I will see you in my chambers."

"The bailiff goes too!" the other counselor yelled. "Keep it fair!"

oOoOoOo

After deputizing Stanley, Jake moved in and shut the door. "Proceed."

"Ma'am, they're eating me alive out there!" Ruby cried.

"Bound to happen," Elizabeth replied bitterly.

"Do we even have a case?"

"We did…until the defense blew holes in it," Lieutenant Miller sighed. "I was hoping that bastard wouldn't catch on!"

"What do we do now?" Ruby turned back to Elizabeth.

"That's up to you, Lieutenant. You're the adjudicator in this situation."

Lieutenant Casler slunk over to the beanbag that was someone's joke instead of an easy-chair. Arranging her skirt, she fell onto it with a flop. "Get back to your pew. I'll be out in a few minutes."

oOoOoOo

"Do you think she'll make the right decision?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "That depends on which decision you've decided is the right one."

"Any that doesn't involve Mr. Prowse being exonerated."

"All rise!" Jake had been reassuring the defense that nothing untoward had happened in chambers when Ruby appeared.

"Be seated."

Silence fell heavily on the church.

"The court has agreed to proceed with the defense's motion to terminate the proceedings."

Captain Shaughnessy's stomach fell.

"However, the court refuses to ignore a sworn statement from a member of the Allied States military, especially when it comes from the administrator of this city-state."

The prosecution stole glances at the defense attorney, who blanched.

"Therefore, the court sentences Mr. Jonah William Prowse to no more than ninety days house arrest," Ruby announced. "To be administered and facilitated by Ms. Emily Marie Sullivan."

A steady roar began to fill the church; it was unclear if the crowd was more pleased than distressed.

"Sheriff Green, please return Mr. Prowse to jail until the details of his sentence have been further determined.

oOoOoOo

"Trust that the defense will file an immediate appeal," Lieutenant Miller announced as the three officers gathered in Bailey's for lunch.

Elizabeth nodded. "He's going to claim that a lack of trial should equal a lack of punishment."

"I'm not going to let Prowse off just because some law school dropout says I should!" Lieutenant Casler argued. "When a man commits a crime, he should be punished accordingly. I doubt the courts in Cheyenne would back off when some mealy-mouthed counselor told them to!"

Neither the captain nor the lieutenant had an answer for that.

"I'm assigning you to check on Prowse and Sullivan once a week, ma'am. More often if you find it necessary."

Elizabeth felt her lunch do a flip inside her stomach. "Jonah Prowse nearly raped me, Ruby."

"I'm aware of that, ma'am," she replied with an irritating calmness. "Nevertheless, I hope that your visits will be an important part of Mr. Prowse's rehabilitation. I can step in from time to time, should he become aggressive toward you, but I think you need the visits as much as he does, in order to begin the mental and emotional healing process."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. Cheyenne has unofficially designated Jericho as a "lieutenant proving ground"; when Elizabeth arrived, there was one major, two first lieutenants and three seconds.  
2. In case _you_ didn't get Javier's remark about "obvious questions" (as Elizabeth clearly didn't), he was referring to the part in chapter one where Beck said (in so many words), "They picked you because you were the best officer available." (He's not psychic…just astute. ;) )  
3. Elizabeth exclaiming that she forgot to ask Javier about the defense attorney was my secret way of saying, "Oops! I forgot to add that into the conversation while I was drafting!" ;) )  
4. I had intended to give Jonah a full trial, but I realized that there wasn't a whole lot of evidence.  
5. For those of you unfamiliar with military clothing, "mess dress"—despite the unusual name—is the military equivalent of a tuxedo. (If you guessed that I wanted an excuse to use mess dress in my story, you've got it. LOL)  
6. I chose "William" as a middle name because I thought it sounded good…and then I remembered JR's legal name is "William James Remar"…so my brain was probably just being a smartass. ;)


	6. Six

**Warning:** If you prefer canon-Jonah, don't continue with this series. It only gets worse from here.

**The Drill:** R-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Six**

Jonah Prowse found himself holding his breath as Captain Shaughnessy stepped lightly off the deck and made her way toward him. This was her third visit since the trial, but the first in which she had deigned to speak with him. He watched her for a moment longer, then turned away, silently cursing his uncharacteristic reaction.

"I received your notes."

Elizabeth drew closer and as the sun cleared from his eyes, Jonah could see that she was carrying one of Emily's prized deck chairs. He frowned and moved back to the center of the yard swing.

"I…"

"Am going to make a vain attempt to apologize?"

"I was going for 'dumbass'."

"I'll accept that."

Jonah struggled with the thoughts that followed. He knew that he should say something sharp, perhaps even apologize, but only emotional junk came to mind.

"Have you made peace with Emily yet?"

"Tried a couple of times, but she always shuts herself in her room like a grouchy teenager."

"Lieutenant Casler did not make reconciliation a part of your sentence, but I daresay that she wouldn't be displeased if you accomplished it."

Jonah let the silence linger, as if he was contemplating how best to manage the task. When he thought that he'd waited long enough, he asked,

"Where are you from?"

"I beg your pardon?" Elizabeth blinked stupidly.

"I remember you said you came over from England when you were thirteen…where in England were you born? Where did you call home before you deployed to Jericho?"

"Are you trying to smooth things over by making friends?"

Jonah attempted to speak, but Elizabeth barged on.

"Pirates don't apologize—directly _or_ indirectly. They don't ask for sympathy toward criminal sexual conduct, especially that which occurs while intoxicated. And they most _certainly_ do not abandon their prostitutes for Air Force officers!"

"And I thought _I_ was the one who was scared of falling in love!"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Why would you remind me what pirates do and don't do unless you were worried that this might be mutual?" Jonah demanded. "And will you **stop** calling me a pirate?!"

"I apologize, Mr. Dumbass. I forgot my place!"

"Shut up a minute, will you?" He leaned forward. "I don't care who you think I am…"

"I know _exactly_ who you are," Elizabeth said calmly. "You're a man who got into drugs, fucked around a while and then finished by screwing your marriage into the ground. Maybe you weren't hurt when Ms. Sullivan died, but when your son got killed turning smuggler's tricks, things finally hit home. If anything, the September Attacks made life easier—you were able to turn your hobby into a career and you were able to lose yourself in your 'tough guy' façade."

She hesitated and looked away. "Whether either of us likes it, it appears that my arrival in Jericho has shown you the chinks in your proverbial armour."

He had been ready to hit her for interrupting, but deflated a little at her confession.

"Will you let me speak, now?"

Elizabeth gestured for him to go on.

"I have been a jerk, an asshole and a callous flirt since the moment I laid eyes on you. You left me with feelings I haven't felt since Marie asked for her 'clean break' and it made me a little nervous. I wanted to continue being myself, but the old me kept popping out. That's why I allowed Javier to make you lunch instead of dragging you back to your office. I got angry when you began asking questions about my health because I wanted to keep you at arm's length." He paused. "I was more upset than I knew when I picked up that bottle. What happened after is probably one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made."

The next pause was so long that the captain turned toward the swing. She started a little when she realized that he was no longer there; even more when she realized he was kneeling at her feet.

Jonah took Elizabeth's hands in his own. "I don't know whether I'm falling in love with you or just lusting after you harder than any prostitute, but I'd like the chance to find out."

"Say you _are_ falling in love with me," she said after a moment. "What do you intend to do about what I assume will eventually become 'our relationship' after Ruby releases you from house arrest? As soon as your gang finds out—and I'm sure they will—they're going to make it impossible for you to live at the compound, much less remain in town."

"If they refuse to peacefully accept that I intend to eventually settle down again, then maybe I should move along. Maybe it's time to grant Mike Warren his fondest wish."

Elizabeth released his hands and gently pushed him away. "Rethink those words before you do something that you regret."

Jonah watched his desire get up and saunter toward the patio door.

"I already have."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. Upon review of "Vox Populi", I noticed that Emily's swing is on the porch and not in the backyard, like I imagined it might be. -headdesk- | Nevertheless, the swing's location in my story is pivotal to the plot, so that's where I'm leaving it. ^_^


	7. Seven

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Seven**

"Specialist Parr has a report from the field."

"Those in charge of field patrol are supposed to bring in their own reports at the end of their shift."

"Parr claims that Sergeant Wilkins sent her before the end of afternoon patrol because the message couldn't wait," Marielle replied.

Elizabeth sighed. "Let her in."

"Captain." The specialist saluted. "I bring word from Sergeant Wilkins."

"I'm aware of that. What's so important that it couldn't wait until 1630?"

"My team found an encampment northwest of the wall."

"How far?"

"Nearly seven miles."

"Why didn't Wilkins come personally?"

"Sergeant Wilkins asked that I convey his apologies, but he wanted to check out the camp himself," Catherine recited. A little less formally, she added, "I was the one who saw the Ravenwood patches, so I was the one tapped for messenger duty."

Elizabeth felt the hair on her arms prickle slightly and unconsciously smoothed her sleeve. "Ravenwood works under contract to the Allied States government. If they have business with us, why didn't they come straight into town?"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, Sergeant Wilkins didn't offer any theories. He just muttered 'Goetz' before he sent me into town."

Of course. Why wouldn't Goetz's buddies lay in wait for the perfect moment to exact revenge?

"Tell me, Parr, were all of the people you saw wearing Ravenwood patches? Were there any Jennings & Rall uniforms? Did anyone look familiar?"

"Private Howard said she thought she'd seen some of the guys walking around New Bern before, but she wasn't sure if they actually _lived_ there, or if they were in town for other reasons."

Elizabeth nodded. "Go back and tell Sergeant Wilkins that I've given you orders to relieve him. If he hasn't placed his deputy in charge yet, inform him that he needs to do so because I want to see him on the double."

oOoOoOo

"About fourteen. I haven't had a chance to tally all of them, but it looked like six Ravenwood and nine private citizens. I can't say for sure if all of them are residents of New Bern; Private Howard and some of the others have confirmed the identities of certain persons, but the rest of the information will require extended observation."

With Marielle's help, Elizabeth had gathered the rest of the officers and found what was perhaps the only conference room in all of Jericho. Captain Shaughnessy and her lieutenants had assembled to hear Sergeant Wilkins's report and—with the exception of the unusual encampment—had yet to hear anything that concerned them.

"Dependent upon our final decision, we'll engage in an extended recon mission," Ruby declared.

"I have some thoughts on how to follow up to the reconnaissance operation, but I will wait to share them with you until we have further information, Sergeant," Elizabeth added.

"Any change in orders, ma'am?"

"None immediate. I will send Master Sergeant Bancroft or one of the officers when we've determined the finer details."

Sergeant Wilkins saluted and made a beeline for the exit.

"Care to share this brilliant plan with the rest of us?" asked a sharp-featured second lieutenant Elizabeth seemed to remember was called Chamberlain.

"The data we gather is likely to have one of two outcomes," Ruby interjected.

"That they have set out to ambush the city-state or that they intend to launch an attack on another entity," the captain finished.

"So it's a case of offense versus defense?" Lieutenant Harbor asked.

"For the time being." The assistant administrator glanced at her supervisor, who nodded.

"I do not recommend that you invent information," Elizabeth amended. "But I will not hesitate to say that they sooner that we get a handle on this situation, the better!"


	8. Eight

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you. (P.S.: Sex is vaguely referred to in this chapter. You have been warned!)

* * *

**Eight**

In the weeks that followed, Elizabeth's visits became more frequent. Only one day out the week seemed to be designated for business; most of the time, the captain gave her "warden" a cursory smile before heading out to the backyard, or into the dining room if the weather was poor. Emily watched Elizabeth with some trepidation; she had little doubt that her father would be released after ninety days, but she wondered if she would ever be released from the captain's continued presence.

oOoOoOo

"I'd better get going," Javier announced suddenly.

"Oh, you can stay. I don't mind."

The medic shook his head. "I'd love to catch up with you, Elizabeth, darling, but Michael gets exceptionally angry if I stay out on personal errands longer than forty-five minutes."

"We should have lunch again, sometime."

"Honey, I would _love_ that!"

They air kissed and Javier scurried out the side gate.

"Is it me, or has he become a little more…ah…_gay_ since the last time I saw him?" Elizabeth tried to keep from chuckling as she locked the gate.

"I think he puts on a straight act for the guys," Jonah admitted. "But when Mike and the others can't overhear…"

The captain turned to the deck, her smile disappearing as she discovered the absence of the chairs, the table and anything else that would have served as seating. Ignoring her consternation, Jonah slid over and invited her to sit on the swing. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, but refrained from making any remarks until she was securely settled on his right.

"Does Emily's lawn furniture grow feet on a regular basis?"

Jonah smirked as he put his arm around her. "Only occasionally."

"You're planning something, aren't you?"

"It will be more fun if you don't ask questions." Feeling a little more comfortable, he rested his head on top of hers. "You _do_ trust me this time, don't you?"

"Know that you could go back to Lansing if you fuck up again is a safety net I'm rather fond of."

He nearly answered, but was interrupted by the sound of the patio door.

"Everything all right?"

"Fine, dear."

Elizabeth struggled to hide her smile as Emily flinched at Jonah's endearment.

"Did Javier leave already?"

"Shortly after I arrived," the captain answered. "He slipped out through the gate."

Emily glanced in that direction and frowned as she caught sight of the deck. "What happened to the furniture?"

"Javier took it," Elizabeth blurted. "To reupholster."

"The cushions were detachable."

Elizabeth made a slightly guilty hiccupping noise as she realized that she'd overlooked that possibility in her haste.

"Want something to drink?" Jonah got to his feet unusually quickly for someone who'd been cuddling only a moment before. "Captain Shaughnessy, would you like some lemonade? Old family recipe…"

He winked and Elizabeth matched the gesture with a smile.

"Certainly."

"I'll have…"

Jonah jogged toward the house and cut off his daughter's words with the slam of a door.

"…a bottle of water."

"Your father's attitude seems to be improving."

Emily made a noise of disbelief. "For now. I expect him to be back to normal after he returns to the compound."

She began to marshal her thoughts to ask about a reduction in her father's sentence when he appeared at her side, pressing a glass into her hand.

"Ooo, this is _freezing_, Mr. Prowse!" Elizabeth simpered, falling back into the role she had begun a few moments before.

"I froze the glasses earlier, thinking that you'd probably say yes." Jonah favored her with a rare smile as he dropped onto the swing. "Drink up!"

The captain twisted her smirk into a smile, took a sip and the conversation slowly settled back into its original rhythm. Elizabeth was nearing the bottom of her glass and about to explain what inspired her to join the Air Force, when she noticed that Emily appeared to be drooping.

"Are you alright, Ms. Sullivan?"

"I'm sorry!" Emily smiled wanly. "I went running earlier and must have pushed myself too hard."

"Don't feel like you have to keep up a conversation for my benefit. Go take a nap!" Elizabeth insisted. "I'll keep an eye on your father while you rest."

It took quite a bit of cajoling from both the captain and the smuggler, but the woman eventually tottered toward the house. Jonah made a point of finishing his drink then, so that he could face Elizabeth as soon as Emily was out of sight.

"We have about twenty minutes before she falls asleep."

Elizabeth turned a slightly wary eye toward him. "Did you do what I think you did?"

Jonah's infamous half-smile reappeared. "If what you think I did involved Javier's help—beyond the furniture—then yes."

She shook her head. "I should report you to Lieutenant Casler for this."

"Will you?"

The captain emptied her glass, placed it on a nearby clump of dirt and leaned toward him. "Not if you can make me forget about it."

Jonah pulled her closer so swiftly that his lips nearly bruised her own. His kisses her gentle at first, almost cautious…but that quickly changed when he felt Elizabeth's response. She clung onto him with something akin to desperation and was so intent on the moment that she nearly missed the fact that he was trying to find his way into her fatigues.

"Come on," Elizabeth murmured huskily. She found herself swept off her feet before she could finish her thought: "Let's go up to your bedroom."

oOoOoOo

Two rounds of coitus and one amazing oral session later, Captain Shaughnessy was nearly ready to fall asleep.

"Elizabeth?"

"Mmm?"

"Let me take you out on a date. A real one. After I'm released."

She opened one eye and regarded him with a bit of merriment.

"I'll continue going down on you if you don't!"

Elizabeth laughed at his playful threat, then sobered a little. "Only if you agree to be exclusive."

"Give up whores?" Jonah asked thoughtfully as he inched his way down the bed. "I'll think about it."

"I…ahh!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. In case you haven't figured it out by now, I changed my mind…Javier _is_ gay. (A crack-up and a half, as well!)  
2. I'm sure you don't need me to explain why Elizabeth shrieked at the end. But if you do, let me know. –wink-


	9. Nine

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Nine**

"Intelligence indicates that they intend to move out no later than the fifth."

"_Idiots!_" Captain Shaughnessy hissed. "They should be moving out at moon dark!"

"Thank you, Sergeant Miller," Lieutenant Casler said amiably. "You are dismissed."

When the six officers were alone again, Ruby turned to Elizabeth.

"Moon dark?"

"The fifth coincides with the full moon," replied Lieutenant Altschul. "Captain Shaughnessy is probably referring to the new moon."

"When there would only be starlight," Ruby mused. "Meaning their invasion would also involve cutting the city's electricity."

Elizabeth nodded and shuffled some papers. After a moment, Lieutenant Miller asked,

"Who's going?"

All eyes turned toward Lieutenant Chamberlain.

"Don't look at me!"

"You put up a huge _fuss_ when the issue was first raised and now you're telling me that you don't _want_ the assignment?" Elizabeth snapped.

Matthew glowered at her, but said nothing.

"I should _order_ you out there just to piss you off. Fortunately for you, I intend to orchestrate this little diversion from the field, which means you get to rain on someone else's parade." Captain Shaughnessy shot Chamberlain a dirty look. "Dismissed!"

The lieutenant skulked away and Elizabeth turned to Erik.

"Have a preference?"

"It doesn't matter. If you want to take Lieutenants Harbor and Altschul, then go."

In response, Lieutenant Casler rolled out a map.

"This is the layout of the camp, as far as we have been able to ascertain. The building in the back of the informal perimeter appears to be their headquarters, with living areas flanking both sides.

"Latrines are on the northern and southern ends of the perimeter. We are unsure what the group of tents is, here." Ruby indicated a large box that had been drawn at the eastern side of the camp. "Perhaps more living space; perhaps more storage. Maybe both."

"Shouldn't Lieutenant Casler go, if she knows the camp so well?" asked Lieutenant Harbor.

Ruby shook her head. "I wasn't part of the cartography team. I know nothing more than any of you."

"Mara, if you don't object, I'd like to take Erik and Clea with me," said Elizabeth.

"I don't mind. May I be dismissed immediately? I drew late patrol and would like to get some rest."

The captain nodded her assent and turned back to the map.

"Miller, I want you stationed on the southeast corner of the perimeter; Altschul, on the northeast…"

oOoOoOo

"Marcos, Morgan, Wilkins, Wright—get your fireteams into five man fronts. Abarrategi, Logan, Williams and Bancroft—I need you over here with the lieutenants and I."

"How are we going to do this?" Private Howard grumbled to Private Covetti. "PFC Edwards said he saw the map and there are barely _any_ trees!"

"Sergeant Thomas, come over here and sort out your private!" Captain Shaughnessy snapped. Turning back to the group huddled by the eastern gate, the captain found that most of the reactions were the same.

"Few trees means low cover," said Staff Sergeant Abarrategi. She indicated the map another staff sergeant was holding. "I see you intend to have the lieutenants on the corners, but there isn't even scrub indicated for a good fifty feet around those corners."

"If we parked the humvees and troop carriers back far enough, the lieutenants could stand on the rooftops," Marielle replied.

Clea nodded. "We'll have the cover of darkness that way."

"Same way with the troops, Elizabeth. Ma'am," Erik added hastily. "Stand them far enough back and you won't have to worry about cover."

"We can't get them back too far," said Elizabeth. "There is no guarantee how well that camp is going to be lit and we simply don't have enough sets of night vision goggles to go around."

"Some, you can have closer," Sergeant First Class Logan pointed out. "The Centers all have buildings or latrines to hide behind. Durante and Alsoudi can take cover by the storage area and Miller, Morgan, Wilkins and Maddalena Covetti have the sleeping tents."

"Scatter them," Staff Sergeant Williams agreed. "The soldiers that have to rely on the cover of darkness can watch outside the perimeter and those with coverage can take the inside. Whoever fires first is going to make a lot of noise and everyone can self-adjust accordingly."

"All right, looks good," Captain Shaughnessy said, "Get back to your fireteams and be ready to move out when Specialist Crawford gives the signal."

* * *

_I could use a bicycle,_ Elizabeth thought, trudging toward the western side of the encampment. "Coming up on Team Red," she said into her radio.

"Roger," answered Sergeant First Class Logan. "I'll notify Sergeant Morgan."

As Elizabeth drew closer to the back of the encampment, she glanced over her shoulder and spotted a couple of figures up in the trees near the eastern end of the perimeter.

"You'd better hope those rebels don't look up, Lieutenants."

"Sorry, ma'am," Lieutenant Miller replied. "We tried standing on the tops of the vehicles, but none of the ones with good views were steady enough to hold us. Not to mention that we couldn't bring them too close."

"I'm well-seated in my tree," added Lieutenant Altschul. "I can take some pretty good shots from here."

Elizabeth rounded the southwest corner of the perimeter and was nearly beside Specialist Drolisi when her radio crackled back to life.

"Look alive, people!" Clea called. "Six unknown subjects eastbound; may enter the camp from the southwest corridor."

"Sighting confirmed," Erik added. "Take cover, Captain, or open fire."

Elizabeth turned alongside Team Red and surveyed the interlopers. "Durante, Bancroft, Alsoudi; I want you to keep an eye on the inside of the perimeter and get ready to back us up."

The captain watched the subjects inch closer to the camp and when she was sure Team Red had been spotted, she gave the signal.

"You're going to wake the whole camp!" SFC Logan bawled in her ear.

"That's just the chance we're going to have to take!" Elizabeth hollered back. To her radio, she added, "I hope you're groundside, Lieutenants! I need you organizing the soldiers infiltrating the perimeter!"

"What do you want us to do with them?" yelled Sergeant Morgan, who had appeared on Elizabeth's left.

"Shoot to kill! They're not going to play nicely, so there's no point in taking prisoners!"

Elizabeth was about to raise her rifle when an arm wrapped around her neck.

"Cut them off!"

"I don't have that authority!" she choked.

"Don't you think I know captain's bars when I see them?" the voice demanded as it dragged her around the side of the command building. "Cut them off!"

"You think using me as a human shield is going to gain you immunity? My soldiers have their orders!" Elizabeth coughed and tried her best to get air. "Even if you manage to eliminate this unit, the rest of the platoon still has the walls of the city to their advantage! Not to mention that the Rangers will ensure that everyone sixteen and older is armed, should you threaten to harm Jericho!"

"Then your buddies will get to see a little show!" Her captor threw her to the ground and prepared to strip her, but it was too late.

"Sure, they _always_ love to watch me shoot the enemy at point-blank!" The captain had grabbed her Smith & Wesson as soon as he had released her and grinned as she cocked it. "Shall I finish by shoving your head onto a pike by the main gate?"

"Only if you don't mind being tried for your war crimes afterwards."

Elizabeth caught sight of Specialist Durante around the side of the man's left leg as she hustled across the field toward her fallen commander. Two figures that vaguely resembled Sergeants Reece and Wright hovered in the distance, waiting to lay down cover fire at a moment's notice.

"I have a better idea," Captain Shaughnessy said after a moment. "How about I let this nice young woman punch your lights out and when you wake up, we'll parade you through the streets in chains, just like an ancient Roman triumphal march?"

Her captor dropped his hands and spun as he reached for the sawed off shotgun strapped to his waist. He was about thirty seconds too late.

* * *

Caterina Durante watched with a trace of amusement as the would-be bounty hunter collapsed at her feet. "Good one, ma'am."

"Check him," Captain Shaughnessy ordered as she struggled to her feet. "I may have only put a hole in his spinal cord."

The specialist nodded and rolled the man over with the tip of her boot. His breath was coming in ragged gasps, but Caterina estimated he had at least twenty minutes left.

"Have to put wounded animals out of their misery."

She pressed the tip of her M16 to his head and pulled the trigger.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. No continuity error—there are two Millers. Lieutenant Erik Miller is the officer that served as the prosecuting attorney during Jonah's trial, and there is also Sergeant Cornelia Miller, whom we're introduced to in this chapter. (No relation, though.)  
2. I don't know why villains are so intent on raping women in this story—you would think after the lights came back on, they would want _less_ sex, not _more_! ;) (On that note, yes, the rebel really _was_ dumb enough to try to rape Elizabeth during a pitched battle. No one ever said criminals are brilliant! :P )


	10. Ten

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

**Plot Note:** A variation on the opening scene was supposed to make up the entirety of this chapter, with the second half of making up chapter eleven. I didn't like the initial scene when it stood alone, however, so here we are.

* * *

**Ten**

"You're unusually quiet, tonight," Jonah remarked as he helped Elizabeth with her jacket.

No response.

"Isn't this supposed to be a happy event? Celebrating your victory and the garrison and whatever else?"

"I could have gotten ready at the barracks or even back at my house…"

The usual half-smile. "But then I wouldn't have seen you in mess dress, gorgeous."

Elizabeth flushed and laid aside the hand mirror she'd been used to inspect her hair. "I'd better get going, luv. It's 6:45."

"Not until you tell me what's bothering you."

The captain started to walk away, but Jonah caught her by the shoulders and tilted her chin so that she met his eyes.

"Elizabeth?"

She sighed. "I'm pregnant, Jonah."

He resisted the urge to hug her and held her at arm's length instead. "Are you sure?"

Elizabeth nodded. "My period was due three days after we first made love. That was three weeks ago."

"Get tested," Jonah said abruptly. "Javier…"

"Will _not_ be getting involved! Nor will the medics, if I can help it! I hesitate to use Dr. Dhuwallia, but I do not want to take this out of town, either."

"Are we even talking about a pregnancy test anymore?"

Captain Shaughnessy made her way back to the door, but the smuggler merely tightened his grip.

"Promise me that you won't have Kenchy abort it without discussing it with me."

She made a noise of disapproval. "If I wanted to get rid of it, I would put it up for adoption. The universe knows that there are plenty of couples out there that lost their children last September!"

Elizabeth tugged again, but didn't succeed in loosening his grip. "I have to go, Jonah. It wouldn't be seemly for the President of the Mess to be late."

He merely grabbed her and threw her into an ardent kiss.

*****

"Have you caught up with everybody, yet?"

"By my mental tally, I'm up to twenty-nine, including you."

Marielle checked her watch. "Cocktail hour is almost over. You have about ten minutes to squeeze in the last five.

"Why were you so late?"

"Jonah insisted I dress at Emily's and then wouldn't shut up when I wanted to leave. I must have told him five times that I couldn't be late!" Elizabeth nodded to the banquet attendant filling her glass and made her way toward Sergeant Milan.

"Did that attendant just pour you sparkling juice?" Elizabeth hesitated at the sound of Marielle's voice, but did not turn around. "Your boyfriend wouldn't shut up for some reason other than the fact that you wouldn't stay for dinner…?"

"Business, Sergeant," the captain said in a voice pitched so that only her aide could hear. "Business first, pleasure later."

* * *

"Guard, please post the colours."

At Captain Shaughnessy's request, five of the privates trooped into the grand dining chamber, escorted by Sergeant Covetti. There was a low murmur when the diners saw the colors had no actual _guard_, but they were silenced when the sergeant announced,

"The flag of the Allied States of America."

Elizabeth's stomach twisted when she saw that disgusting thing, that mockery of the colonial flag, stuck into the base on the far right. For the first time in three months, Elizabeth began to reflect on Major Beck's parting words.

"Are you okay, ma'am?" Ruby murmured.

Captain Shaughnessy nodded. "Just a little hungrier than usual, I think."

"The flag of John Tomarchio, President of the Allied States of America."

Tomarchio's flag was even more repulsive, a garish thing of red and black. Elizabeth wasn't sure why anyone would want to be represented by such a standard, but the thought quickly disappeared as the next private stepped forward.

"The honorable flag of the state of Kansas."

Until this moment, Elizabeth never realized how beautiful the Kansan flag really was. It was a jewel, compared to the others. She smiled.

"The standard of the Army of the Allied States of America!"

Elizabeth was sure that the collective sigh of relief when Private Howard stepped forward wasn't all in her head. Tomarchio's people had only dared to alter the Army flag enough to read "The Allied States of America", which likely meant…

"The standard of the Air Force of the Allied States of America!"

Yes. Her branch's flag had had the same treatment.

_I would have resigned my commission if they had changed much else!_ Captain Shaughnessy thought.

* * *

"Ms. Vice, has every glass in the grand dining chamber been filled?" Elizabeth asked, laying aside the notes from her opening remarks.

"Every glass is filled, Madame President," Marielle replied.

The captain gestured the entire assembly to their feet and took a deep breath under cover of the noise. The toasts would be the hardest part of the night. Plastering on a smile, Elizabeth said,

"To new beginnings and a new life. To the Allied States of America!"

"The Allied States of America!" the garrison echoed.

Elizabeth took a sip of juice. "Ladies and gentlemen, we salute John Tomarchio, the Commander-in-Chief of the Allied States of America!"

"The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied States of America!"

As Second Lieutenant Chamberlain began the toasts customary to the most junior officer, Elizabeth allowed her mind to wander. She felt guilty for asking the Rangers to patrol while the entire garrison partied, but Sheriff Green had been as enthusiastic as the lieutenants about the idea. Even Mayor Anderson had brightened when Ruby announced that no civilians (and therefore, no sweethearts) would be allowed. _Everyone deserves a break sometime…_she thought.

Captain Shaughnessy raised her glass to the Air Force, drained it and waited for an attendant to refill. The tedious task of toasting was almost over.

"We offer a toast to our heritage and to the comrades that have gone before us," Elizabeth declared. "May we serve our country and our unit in honour."

"To the Jericho garrison!"

* * *

Some hours later, the city-state's administrators strolled outside.

"Soup, salad and venison steaks…best meal we've had since we got here!" Ruby remarked. "Where'd you come by the cheesecake?"

"No idea. Marielle was in charge of the food committee," replied Elizabeth. "I suppose she could have had the mess staff make it from scratch. It can't be that hard—my grandmum used to make it from time to time."

"That aide of yours goes above and beyond."

The two women stood quietly for several minutes, alone with their thoughts and the stars.

"You don't happen to have the time, do you, ma'am?"

"It's 2132."

"Wow. I didn't realize that it was so early." Ruby glanced over her shoulder to find the tent still pulsing with music. "How late does this thing run?"

"I told Marielle that she needed to wrap things up no later than 2330. Even though she's technically no longer 'Ms. Vice', I left her in charge."

"I don't mean to be a party pooper, but I'd like to go home and get out of this monkey suit." Lieutenant Casler plucked at her skirt and the medals on her jacket jangled.

"No, go ahead," Captain Shaughnessy said with an air of distraction.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me and play cards or something?"

"That's okay, Ruby, thanks." Elizabeth replied. "I was just debating whether to go back in or head out and risk Ms. Sullivan's wrath for dropping by so late."

"Bet when you were a kid with a curfew, you never imagined getting into trouble with someone else's kid!"

The two women laughed and Elizabeth did her best to make small talk until Ruby begged off and headed back to town. Captain Shaughnessy looked at the stars a little bit longer, until she made up her mind to use the latrine before walking back to her cottage. Padding around to the back of the tent, Elizabeth stilled.

_Was that a stick cracking or was that part of the music?_

She waited a bit longer and when she was sure that the only human-made sounds around her were coming from the after-party, she kept moving.

And stepped in front of the latrine just in time to see a middle-aged civilian trip over his own feet.

* * *

"Get in the latrine and lock the door until I tell you to come out." Jonah slunk out from the far side of the tent and trained a .44 Magnum on the idiot at his feet.

"_No_."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jonah saw that Elizabeth had drawn her tiny holdout pistol.

"Do I even _want_ to know where that came from?"

"Probably not."

* * *

Captain Shaughnessy watched the other man struggle to stand. "Do you know this prat?"

"Joe Kelly. He's one of mine."

Elizabeth shot Jonah a look of disbelief. "Then what the bloody hell is he doing trying to pounce on me?!"

"That's what I'd like to know." Jonah made a "come here" gesture with his gun. "Joe?"

"Jonah?"

The elder smuggler frowned. "Don't play dumb."

"About what?" Joe asked blankly. "I was just going for a walk…trying to find the best place to set up my telescope."

"That would be believable…if you were actually _carrying_ a telescope!"

Jonah had Joe in a headlock before Elizabeth finished "believable".

"You know what I want to hear, Kelly."

"Michael! It was all Michael's idea!"

"Murder or kidnap?"

It was too late; Joe was already asphyxiating. Elizabeth jumped a mile when she heard his neck snap.

"That was _completely_ unnecessary!"

"Oh, I suppose you would have preferred to lock him up and then march out to the compound in your heels, M16 slung over your shoulder?" When Elizabeth didn't immediately reply, he added, "Do you know how hard the others would have _laughed_ at you?"

"You are _totally_ out of line, Jonah William Prowse," Captain Shaughnessy growled. "You have broken the terms of your house arrest, snuck out of town after curfew and murdered a man who had yet to be tried for attempted kidnapping, attempted murder or accessory to both."

He snorted. "I see what it is. You've got your baby, you've got your notch on the bedpost and now you're going to come up with some bullshit to send me off to Cheyenne. Did I get everything or were you planning another excuse?"

Elizabeth didn't answer but stalked off toward town, completely forgetting about using the latrine. Jonah watched her a moment before catching up with the captain in a few short strides and sweeping her into his arms.

"Time to go home."

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1A. According to Army tradition*, the dining-in is only for officers. However, as the event has been planned in celebration of the platoon's success, everyone was invited.  
1B. For more information on the fascinating custom of dining-in, you may refer to the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College pamphlet 28.1.  
2. No, Elizabeth hasn't had a sudden change of heart. She'll explain herself next chapter…don't worry.

(*Or tradition as of 1987, at least. Wikipedia makes it sound like there are only a separation of rank for certain events.)


	11. Eleven

**The Drill:** M-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Eleven**

"Are you going to give me the silent treatment all night?"

Elizabeth was tempted to say something biting, but continued to stare at the little fireplace on the opposite wall.

"I'm sorry I snapped his neck…and I'm sorry if I scared you." Jonah said at last. "I probably overreacted, but if there was anyone to take out other than Michael, it was Joe. He was Mitchell's right-hand man and has been trying to win Mike's favor ever since Mitchell's death. If something were to happen to me or Mike, Joe would almost certainly have taken over."

He shifted slightly and realized that Elizabeth was crying.

"I _have_ to report this to Lieutenant Casler."

Surprised, Jonah sat down beside her. "Don't cry, sweetheart. I've been to prison before."

"For assault and extortion! When they find out that you attempted to rape an officer and killed a man before he could be arraigned, you will be in for the rest of your life!"

"What's the worst that could happen if Lieutenant Casler or one of the others found out that you passed on the chance to turn me over to Cheyenne? A dishonorable discharge?"

"If not a court martial."

Jonah sighed. "I've said before that this might not be the place for us."

"You said that Jericho might not be the place for _you_."

"Do you think I would leave you, Elizabeth?"

"I had a chance to leave and I didn't take it. I told Major Beck that, 'Despite my misgivings, my allegiance is to Echo Company; my place, here in Jericho with my platoon.'" She made a derogatory noise. "Edward suggested that I marry you."

"You stayed here to prove a point?"

"Partially. And partially because I love my work." Elizabeth glanced at Jonah. "I'm an idiot for letting you off with a warning."

"Fortunately, I have no problem taking idiots to bed with me."

* * *

"Satisfied?"

"Mmm."

"If you ask for that one more time…" Elizabeth warned.

"You seemed upset earlier when you announced that you were pregnant. Why?"

She pulled away from Jonah's chest and turned so that she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Elizabeth?"

"I wasn't ready, okay?" the captain snapped. "I had this stupid little fantasy. I was going to find a guy I couldn't get enough of, date him for a couple of years and then marry him in front of my family and friends with this big military honour guard. We wouldn't talk about kids until we were married for a year…six months at the earliest."

Jonah stifled a chuckle. "So it happened out of order. Big deal!"

"You think I want to marry **you**?"

"Give me one good reason why we shouldn't."

"We've been dating three months, didn't have sex until three weeks ago and neither of us have said that we loved the other _once_!"

He gently tugged on her shoulder until she was turned halfway around, then knelt in front of her; Jonah took the captain's hands in his own.

"I love you, Elizabeth Shaughnessy, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

Elizabeth laughed. "Aren't you rushing things just a little? You broke a guy's neck a few hours ago because you thought he was a threat to your status as gang leader and now you're a hopeless romantic that wants to spend the rest of his life with me?"

He didn't answer, but neither did she defend herself. At last,

"You saw how I reacted the night we met. You talked to Javier. Do you even _need_ to ask?"

She sighed. "I don't know whether I'm in love with you."

"I'm not asking if you are." He slid so that he was leaning against her, then paused. "You mentioned something about being exclusive…"

"I will be yours for as long as you want me."

Elizabeth giggled and met Jonah's gaze. "You're _so_ indecisive!"

He answered her with a kiss.


	12. Twelve

**The Drill:** R-rated language, British spelling/grammar for Elizabeth and no military- or show-picking—please and thank you.

* * *

**Twelve**

"I can't believe you reported him!"

Elizabeth's smile disappeared. She had only turned in the report half an hour ago, which meant that Ruby must have typed a letter and sent it over as soon as she stepped out.

"I'm sorry that you disagree with my decision, _Ms. Prowse_," Captain Shaughnessy said, using the woman's former name just to gall her. "But I was only fulfilling my duties."

"Lieutenant Casler added another thirty days!"

"You were lucky it was not more! I reported him out of bounds _only_ because he claimed that he had come to walk me home. Deity only knows what he did before I caught up to him!"

Emily opened her mouth, then closed it, too angry to form words.

* * *

"You _swore_ you would keep your mouth shut!"

"I did nothing of the sort! I said I would let you off with a warning!"

"You violated an implied contract!"

"Something that wouldn't stand up in a court of law!" Elizabeth barked. "Implied contracts are even worse than a standard oral contract!"

She watched him pace around the yard, but Jonah, too, was at a loss for words.

"It could have been a lot worse!" Elizabeth reminded him, lowering her voice to a hiss. "Or would you _rather_ be shackled in the back of a jeep, on your way to Cheyenne to stand trial?"

"I would like not have to deal with Emily for another thirty days!"

Captain Shaughnessy waited until her lover was glaring at her before she spoke.

"I will give you a few days to cool off. Perhaps by then you will realize that the fact that I told only _part_ of the truth actually _saved_ your sorry arse!"

*****

"The sooner, the better."

Elizabeth saluted and made her exit, only to be accosted by Marielle a few feet away.

"Lieutenant Casler giving orders now?"

"As they pertain to Mr. Prowse's house arrest, yes."

"I forgot," Master Sergeant Bancroft replied. "But isn't he a few days from being released?"

"He was, but Lieutenant Casler gave him another thirty." Elizabeth vaguely waved the sheaf of paperwork in her left hand. "Caught him outside the east gate on my way back from the banquet the other night. The lieutenant wants these signed…they acknowledge that Ms. Sullivan and Mr. Prowse have been informed of the sentence extension."

"Did I hear Lieutenant Casler actually _order_ you to Ms. Sullivan's house?"

Elizabeth never got to answer, as everyone in the bullpen was immediately distracted by several men bursting through the front door.

"There's a tornado coming!" Stanley Richmond yelled. "Everyone needs to get into the shelter!"

"Is Sheriff Green out with the Rangers, warning everyone?"

"No, Captain," he replied. "Jake had to help batten things down at the ranch. Mayor Anderson was the one that sent the Rangers out."

"That's what I needed to know. Get going, Mr. Richmond. I'll handle everything here."

*****

A few hours later, Elizabeth and Ruby agreed that the wind had died down enough to begin making their way out of the basement.

"Who have we got, here?"

"Almost everyone, Captain," said Sergeant First Class Alvarez. "We only have one fireteam unaccounted for."

"Go upstairs and check the duty roster so we know who's still out there. Where is Specialist Crawford?"

"Here, ma'am." A young woman with a pixie cut stepped out from behind a bunk.

"Communications?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Get on the horn and find what's left of the National Weather Service, see what we're dealing with, here. That doesn't work, find a radio and try raising Cheyenne."

"Aye, Captain."

Nicole headed upstairs just as SFC Alvarez hustled down.

"Sergeant Milan and her fireteam just got in, ma'am. They're the ones that didn't make it back from the field."

* * *

"Nearly flattened, Captain," replied Sergeant Milan. "Only one small outbuilding left standing. Nurse Velasquez says that one was the one where Mr. Prowse's quarters were located."

"Injured? Deceased?"

"The nurse said he found a tractor trailer on its port side with Michael Warren pinned underneath. At least six others are injured. Nurse Velasquez said there won't be a full count until he can get some assistance in moving the rubble."

"Time of death for Mr. Warren?"

"They need a liver thermometer whenever it is that we're able to send help."

"Captain Shaughnessy!" Specialist Crawford hollered from the next room. "I raised someone on the ham radio! They have to get a storm investigator out here to be sure, but Cheyenne is reporting an F5 for our area. There are also conflicting reports on whether New Bern has been decimated."

Elizabeth's heart sank. There were one or two levels higher on the Fujita scale, but tornados of that magnitude were rarely seen. They had an all-out disaster on their hands.

"Sergeant Alvarez, are we completely accounted for?"

Vicente took a quick look around the room. "It appears so, ma'am."

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, listen up."

Nicole came fully into the room and the rest straightened up a bit.

"We're going to have to spread out. Eleven groups of three should be sufficient to assist the sheriff's department and the Rangers in assessing the damage and helping everyone get back on their feet. Be on the lookout for privateers—just because the compound is reporting six injuries doesn't mean the rest of them aren't out and about. Not to mention any outside smugglers that might see an F5 as a chance to pick us clean.

"Specialist Crawford is the only one unavailable for a recon group. She'll stay here with me so that we can keep getting updates. Lieutenants, the city-state is going on immediate lockdown in order to hinder smugglers. Be sure to 'lock the doors' on your way out."

*****

"He doesn't want to see you, anymore."

"Your father no longer has that option," Elizabeth snarled. "Inform him of my presence. He will see me immediately."

Emily scowled at the woman and disappeared while the captain decided on the most comfortable chair in the room. Selecting the couch, Elizabeth flopped down and closed her eyes. It would be good to take her mind off the tornado for however long it took Emily to drag her father into the living room.

"Come to beg my forgiveness?"

"Come to tell you that the challenger to the Pirate Throne is dead. F5 tornado rolled a semi onto Warren a few hours ago." When Jonah didn't answer right away, Elizabeth opened her eyes.

"In another few, some ass-hat will take his place and I'll be out for good." He shot her a dirty look. "Thanks for sharing."

"Keep that attitude and I may 'forget" to suggest to Lieutenant Casler that you be permitted supervised visits."

Jonah didn't react.

"Or would you prefer _not_ to participate in the cleanup and rebuild of the compound?"

"_This_ is how you apologize?"

"There is no apology here, nor will there ever be," Elizabeth said sharply. "This is a chance for you to go home and remind them precisely who is running the gang. You'll be accompanied by one of the privates that usually supervises you when Ms. Sullivan is absent, but I doubt that would lessen the effect of your presence.

"I would also recommend that you appoint an…executive officer, if you will. Someone to run the business for the next thirty days and cover any extended absences in the future. Someone you trust, obviously, but someone who can keep the upstarts in their place."

"Someone like Javier?"

"That wouldn't be my first choice, but it is up to you," Elizabeth replied, getting to her feet. "I know you want to get out there as soon as possible, so I'll take it up with Lieutenant Casler when she returns from the field."

*****

"A gentleman to see you."

Elizabeth frowned. "Who is he?"

Marielle started to speak, but stopped when she saw her supervisor's attention divert over her shoulder.

"News, ma'am."

"Have they determined the magnitude of the tornado already, Specialist?"

"No, ma'am. This is about the impending civil war."

Elizabeth gestured for her to go on.

"It's no longer impending."

"Since when?"

"President Tomarchio ordered Bravo Company from the 14th over the line about two weeks ago. They're saying that both sides barely stopped long enough to commemorate the anniversary of the September Attacks before the invasion began."

"New orders forthcoming, Crawford?"

Nicole flushed. "I don't know. I've only been talking to a comm specialist from 10th Delta Company, ma'am."

"They have fresh orders?"

"Negative. Specialist Remington said their company commanders have been quiet since they got settled."

"Keep in touch with Remington and see if you can raise our company commanders. I want to know what's going on. Don't be afraid to interrupt me if you get word.

"Affirmative." Nicole saluted and Elizabeth turned back to her aide.

"I apologize for that interruption, Sergeant," she said. "But…what are you doing back here already?"

"The zone I was assigned to was nearly clear. There were only three more houses on the block, so I let Sergeant Covetti sign off."

"I ordered all of you to help everyone get back on their feet."

"The damage is extensive," Marielle replied. "I radioed Lieutenant Harbor and she said that we'd have to order more supplies before we can start to rebuild the majority of the town."

"Very well. Who's in my office?"

* * *

"Jack Bennet."

Captain Shaughnessy failed to take the proffered hand. She was too busy glaring at him for sitting behind her desk.

"How did you get in here?"

"Master Sergeant Bancroft let me in."

"Nice try, but the lock doesn't take her thumbprint."

"Federal disaster management has manual override."

"We called Cheyenne less than three hours ago," Elizabeth argued. "You couldn't have gotten here by helicopter—according to regulations, choppers don't lift until three hours after the confirmed end of a storm. They haven't lifted for four or five since the attacks."

* * *

**A/N:** And that's all she wrote. I had a chapter thirteen at one time, but I never finished it…and it was _way_ too graphic for this site, anyway. Maybe if I ever get the patience (and stop taking on so many projects) I'll come back and finish this.


	13. Thirteen

**Special Shout-Out:** Thank you to Melissa Rickoll Evans of Save Jericho for reminding me that Jonah's car was a Roadrunner! Honorable mention goes to Patrick Frazee (also of Save Jericho) for pointing out that the car is _technically_ a Chrysler Satellite modified to look like a Roadrunner. :)

* * *

Thirteen

Javier jumped a mile when he awoke to the rattle of the chain-link fence. If any of the other smugglers knew he'd been asleep on the job, they'd have his ass. He grabbed a gun and rolled over.

"Put that down, Velasquez!"

Javier cocked the hammer and waited impatiently. The fence rattled again and an older smuggler landed on the compound side with a soft thump.

"Jonah?"

"That's the Beretta I gave Elizabeth," he remarked, eyeing the gun.

"Yeah, but…"

"Where'd you get it?"

"I pilfered it when one of the other guys brought it in," Javier said anxiously. "He said that it was an antique and that he 'couldn't bear' to see it sitting unused in Captain Shaughnessy's office. When he noticed it was gone, I told him that I'd found a buyer who was looking for one just like it." He hesitated. "I paid for it myself."

"Where are the keys to the Roadrunner?"

"Sheriff Green impounded it when you were put under house arrest."

Jonah cursed. "Find me the keys to a different car, then. A motorcycle, a dirt bike…something!"

"They found an old Skylark after the tornado. I think it's working by now." Javier got to his feet. "Where are you going?"

"Did you fail to notice that my f—that the captain is missing?"

Jonah stopped short of saying "fiancée". He'd been planning to propose to Elizabeth when she was kidnapped.

"Jonah, she's _gone!_" Javier protested. "If the Army can't find her, no one will!"

"She's not gone. Only missing."

"How do you know?"

"I've had…visions…"

"You're banking on _dreams?_" The medic rapped his leader soundly on the forehead. "Has living with Emily for three months turned you into a _fruit?!_"

Jonah merely glared until Javier realized he was waiting for the keys. He didn't speak again until Javier returned.

"Someday, you're going to find yourself backed into a corner that logic won't get you out of," the older gentleman said. He turned and swaggered off. "Someday, there's going to be a guy worth fighting for."

* * *

After a half hour of driving, Jonah pulled off to the side of the road. He was dealing with a burgeoning headache, a complete lack of directions and the realization that he'd forgotten to instruct the medic to keep his mouth shut about the visit. What he really needed was a concrete sign…a cry in the darkness.

_Christ!_ he thought with a grumble. _I'm actually starting to _believe_ this New Age shit!_

Jonah had found an old esoteric magazine on the ground near one of the tents at Blackjack shortly before Elizabeth had come to town and had hidden it for several weeks. He leafed through the magazine one day on the john and discovered an article about soulmates. As someone who'd spent his entire life firmly stuck in reality, Jonah didn't believe in such things as soul connections and past lives. Until he started having nightmares about his girlfriend.

They seemed relatively normal at first…mostly dealing with some faceless creature barging into her cottage and stealing her out of her bed. Sometimes, Jonah was allowed to fight back; but most of the time, he found himself watching from the other side of the room. As the nights wore on, the dreams grew more graphic…the one that had driven him out of bed this night involved Elizabeth being tied to a fucking machine. Recalling that, Jonah slammed the steering wheel with his fist and jumped out of the car.

If there was one thing Jonah William Prowse hated, it was being powerless. It had galled him the first time he had taken her out to the compound and she walked around like she owned the place. It stung when Lieutenant Casler had placed him under house arrest, forcing him to leave his home and hope to hell that Mike Warren wouldn't take over while he was gone. It had made him madder than all get-out that the garrison had given up on finding Elizabeth after forty-eight hours had passed. And now he found himself out here in East Bumfuck, wondering why he'd had the misfortune to fall in love in the first place.

He did several laps around the Skylark, cursing and wracking his brains as he went. When he finally stopped to lean against the hood, Jonah noticed the crickets had grown quiet; there were none of the usual night noises. The smuggler strained to hear…was that someone crying? Jonah listened again…it was more of a strangled shriek. His fingers clenched. It was the sound of someone being tortured.

*****

It took another twenty minutes for Jonah to find the place and break in. Too big for a cabin, it was probably an abandoned sugar shanty. He didn't want to think of what had taken the place of the evaporator. Jonah crept inside and was quickly enveloped in darkness.

A chain rattled and he pulled the Beretta that he'd slipped away from Javier while he was waiting for the keys. As he drew closer, Jonah realized that there was a dim light at the far end of the room. Squinting, he hissed,

"Elizabeth?"

The chain rattled again and Jonah nearly dropped his gun.

Elizabeth's captor had stripped her and locked a steel belt around her waist. A long, heavy duty chain connected to a central rotation point on the floor, giving her a limited range of movement. Her wrists had been slipped through matching cuffs that were attached to the belt, while a combination posture collar and gag ensured that she silently looked ahead at all times. Elizabeth squealed, but it was too late.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find us," said a lazy voice. "It seems to me that a pirate would have had an easier time breaking out of captivity than most."

Jonah wheeled around to discover a tastefully dressed man in horn-rimmed glasses aiming a Walther PPK at his spinal cord.

"Why'd you take her?"

"Oh, you think I'm going to fall for that?" The other man smirked. "Isn't it considered a cliché when a movie villain tells his reasoning behind his plans and precisely how he intends to execute them?"

Jonah cocked the hammer on the Beretta. "If I had a pick on me, I'd blow your head off right now."

"Ah, that would be shameful. Then I couldn't remind you how wonderful your girlfriend is in bed!" He strolled around Elizabeth, caressing her hair. "Not that we ever spent very much time _in_ bed…it's more fun to watch her squirm _out_ of bed. Put her on the machine, set it on high…"

Her captor purred just as Elizabeth scrambled as close to Jonah as the chain would allow.

"Perhaps you would like to see just how much fun we have?"

The man pulled a key out of his pocket and reached for the chastity belt beneath the chain, but Jonah was faster. Elizabeth jumped a little as her kidnapper hit the floor, a bullet straight through his forehead. Jonah growled something under his breath, stowed the Beretta and reached for the key. He cursed louder when he realized that leather belt had been holding a rather ferocious looking phallus in place. That was the only thing the key unlocked.

"Are you all right?"

Elizabeth made a vague noise and did her best to motion to her captor's body with her elbow. It took him a minute, but Jonah eventually realized that she was trying to get him to clean the pockets.

"There aren't any other keys!" he said a few minutes later. "That rat bastard doesn't have any more keys!"

Jonah kicked the body and looked off into the shadows. The other keys had probably been hidden elsewhere in the building…but it was also very likely that the other man had set traps in anticipation of his victim being rescued. Jonah looked her over in an effort to figure out what kind of locks he'd have to break.

"I'll get you out of here, even if I have to blow this place to hell!"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

1. For all you eagle-eyed fans out there, the Skylark is _not_ the same one that appears in 1.09. This is a 1997 in burgundy.

2. A "sugar shanty" is where maple syrup is made. (Not to be confused with the song "Sugar Shack". ;) )


	14. Fourteen

Fourteen

"Shit! Be careful!"

Javier turned off the torch, but didn't lift his goggles when he glanced at the elder pirate.

"This isn't frosting cupcakes, Einstein. If you can't handle it, go say hi to your buddies. I'm sure they'll be happy to see you."

Jonah stepped back and wisely kept his mouth shut. He didn't know what had happened since his post-tornado work detail had ended, but it had certainly left its mark on Javier. The nurse-practitioner watched him for a moment longer before getting back to work.

With a little ingenuity—and a lot of help from the Skylark—Jonah had successfully pulled the chain out of the floor of the sugar shanty and—lacking the proper tools—loaded everything into the back seat with Elizabeth and went straight to the compound. She had drifted in and out of consciousness for the entire ride; but when Javier had learned what they needed to do, he'd grabbed his last injectable sedative and jammed the needle into Elizabeth's arm. Now Jonah found himself apprehensively watching Javier as the blowtorch hovered dangerously near the captain's back.

"There. I think I've got it. Hand me that awl."

He handed the tool to the younger smuggler and watched Javier pry the belt open.

"Okay…hand me those picks. I'll try those first so I don't burn her wrists."

The process of opening the cuffs and pulling the entire apparatus off Elizabeth's waist seemed to take forever…his anxiety wasn't helped any when she awoke while Javier was trying to remove the collar system. Elizabeth cried out.

"Hey, hey…calm down!" Jonah soothed. He took her hand. "You're back at the compound. Javier is trying to get you out of there…the locks are just a little more complicated than usual."

Jonah shot the medic a pointed look.

"This thing's nasty," Javier agreed. The tip of his tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he gave the pick one final twist. "There!"

The collar popped free and Javier unconsciously rubbed Elizabeth's neck.

"Just one more lock, Captain," he said, ignoring Jonah's glare. "That ball gag has to be two inches if it's not a centimeter…this guy was a psycho!"

Jonah squeezed his girlfriend's hand and looked into her eyes, silently thanking whoever it was that looked after cranky old pirates that Javier had thought to bar the door. If the others only knew…

When he wasn't watching, Elizabeth threw herself into his arms.

"Wait, whoa…stop crying. I can hardly understand you!" Jonah stroked her hair. "Javier, get her some clothes and something to eat."

"This guy came to me, hours after the tornado. I don't remember if he ever told me what he wanted…it seems like forever since I was last in my office."

She sighed heavily and they sat down on Javier's bed.

"What did he do to you?"

"Exactly what he said," Elizabeth replied, resting her head on his shoulder. "Racked me up and used every implement I'd ever seen and some I haven't." She shifted uncomfortably. "Which reminds me…we're not going to be able to make love for a while."

Jonah grabbed her chin off his shoulder. "Should I have killed him more slowly?"

"He…" The captain swallowed hard. "He used electricity."

"Not for play?"

"I don't mean to be melodramatic, but it hurts like hell to go to the bathroom."

Before Jonah could reply, Javier bustled back into the room with clothes and a glass of water.

"I figured having something to wear was the most important. I'll go back and make you a sandwich."

"How much electricity would it take to kill a baby?"

"Pardon me?" Javier shot Jonah a confused look.

"A baby. How much?"

Elizabeth looked down at her hands and murmured. "I'm pregnant and…and the guy that kidnapped me might have caused me to miscarry."

"Is it still alive?" Jonah demanded.

"How should I know?" Javier protested. "Do I _look_ like an ultrasound machine?"

Jonah glared.

"How far along are you?"

"About three and a half months."

The medic glanced at his leader. "Too early to feel any movement. This is usually about the time she'd go in for an ultrasound to determine the gender."

"Now what?"

"This is the part where I refer her to Dr. Dhuwallia."

Jonah looked like he was about to say something, but Elizabeth put a hand on Javier's arm.

"Thank you for the clothing and the glass of water." She smiled. "May I have that sandwich now, please?"

"Oh! Sure. Sure."

Javier scampered out of the room, glad to be away from Jonah's murderous glare.

"I was too gentle with him."

"I assume you don't mean Javier."

"I should have pulled every bone out of his body; made him lick my boots and beg for mercy."

Elizabeth ignored this statement and gingerly got to her feet. When he spotted the clothes in her hands, Jonah snatched them away.

"Stand still and don't move until I tell you to."

The smuggler threw her into a pair of blue jeans and a baggy gray sweater, deftly rolling and tucking as he did so. After a moment, he stepped back and she folded back onto the bed.

"You know we're going to have to leave."

"Of course," Jonah said gruffly. "The guys won't leave you alone if I try to keep you around."

"That's not what I mean," Elizabeth murmured, straightening out her left sleeve. "We're going to have to leave Jericho."

She glanced up to gauge his reaction.

"It's past sunrise. Emily has surely discovered that you're gone, by now. She'll gleefully report your absence to Ruby, who will have to tell Cheyenne."

Jonah snorted. "Are you actually talking about going AWOL?"

She reached for his hand and gave him a small smile. "I'm talking about meeting my parents. In Virginia."


	15. Fifteen

**Fifteen**

Elizabeth looked up from the piles of clothes that she was sorting. "That's because your father doesn't know where we're going. He knows the first waypoint and that's all."

Emily Sullivan had been startled when her father had returned at 7:30 that morning with the young captain and another pirate in tow. Little in the way of an explanation had been offered and the men had left quickly, leaving her to have an increasingly frustrating conversation with Elizabeth.

"Why do you even need to be here at all? Can't you pack at your house?"

"I want to be here when Javier and Heather get back and be in constant earshot of your father." The younger woman stuffed a pair of pants into a worn duffle bag. "Plus I might have to borrow a few things from you."

Emily raised an eyebrow.

"I don't have much in the way of civilian clothes."

"How can you not have any casual clothes?"

Elizabeth made a gesture that encompassed the entire house. "Jericho might be your home, but I was _deployed_ here. All my civilian clothes are back at my apartment…and probably irradiated by now."

"Why…?"

"Look, can we not discuss this?" Elizabeth shoved in some more clothes. "Can't you just be happy that your father and I are getting out of your life for good?"

"Where are _you_ going?"

Captain Shaughnessy ignored her, counting the stacks she had left.

"And why is Heather getting involved?"

Jonah came downstairs just then, a backpack slung over one shoulder. He glanced at Elizabeth, then at his daughter, who had noticeably paled.

"Oh no!" Emily backed toward the living room, searching with one hand for a place to sit down. "No, you can't do this to me!"

She found a chair, but only stayed a moment before a new resolution brought her to her feet.

"I'm calling Lieutenant Casler."

*****

Fifteen minutes later, Emily found herself inexplicably dragging Elizabeth up to her closet.

"I never got the chance to wear it. Roger…Roger…" Emily paused, struggling not to cry. "I want to give it to someone who would enjoy it."

"Thank you, Emily. I appreciate the gesture." Elizabeth put her hand on the older woman's shoulder. "But your father and I are leaving as soon we're finished. I don't have time to change and change back."

"Hell-OH!" Javier's voice piped from downstairs. "We're _waiting!_"

* * *

"You guys didn't have anything written, did you?" Heather asked.

"No," Elizabeth replied. "Just make it quick and easy."

"Do you, Elizabeth Laurel Shaughnessy, take Jonah William Prowse to be your lawfully wedded husband for…as long as your marriage shall last?"

"I do."

"Jonah, same thing?"

He shot Elizabeth one of his famous half-smiles. "I do."

"By the power vested in me by the City-State of Jericho, I pronounce you husband and wife." Heather beamed. "You may kiss the bride."

Emily tried to distract herself by looking at Javier, but he and Heather were watching the kiss.

"I need you all over here to sign the marriage license!" Heather sang after a moment. She glanced down. "Shoot! I forgot my notary stamp!"

"No you didn't!" Javier grinned. "I grabbed it on the way out of the garage."

Heather slapped him lightly on the back as he leaned over to sign. Elizabeth gave her husband a quick kiss before she added her name to the page. Soon, only Emily was left.

"I…I can't…" She started to back toward the house. "I…really can't…"

"Emily," Jonah said warningly. "We talked about this earlier."

"Don't make your father redefine 'shotgun wedding'!" Javier added.

"Don't do this for us, Emily," Elizabeth said gently. "Do this for yourself. Think of it as signing your father's ticket out of Jericho."

Emily glared at her father, then signed before she could change her mind. "And never come back!"


	16. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Five months after the end of the Second Civil War, Emily received an envelope postmarked Alexandria, Virginia.

_Dear Emily,_

_After many months of waiting, Mark and I have finally moved into our dream home. I was beginning to think we'd be stuck in Chesapeake for the rest of our lives, but Mark always kept the faith. When I think back to the hard times at the beginning of our marriage, I wonder how I could have worried that I would ever truly love him._

_Now that we're in Alexandria, the glory that is the District of Columbia is wide open to us. Mark started at an investment firm last Monday and is very happy with his new career. It didn't seem like the finance business was his bailiwick, but I think it has surprised us both. I'm going into my third month as a liaison to the FBI…what a difference from being out in the field! (That promotion to major was also nice.)_

_Ophelia is turning into such a pretty little girl…it's hard to believe we're already planning her second birthday! Maybe you should think about coming to visit during summer break…I'm sure Mark and Ophelia would love to see you._

_Thank you for all your help…take care!_

_**Lynette**_

Emily frowned. She didn't know a Mark or a Lynette or…

She shook the envelope and a picture fell onto the table, facedown. Inscribed on the back were the words _Marcus, Lynette and Ophelia Stonecliffe – April 2010_. Emily closed her eyes and turned the photo over.

Elizabeth, her father and a little girl with sunny blonde hair smiled back at her.

Emily flipped the picture over again and tilted her head to one side. "Are those _letters?_"

Whatever she saw quickly faded. On an impulse, Emily trotted over to the couch, turned on the lamp and held the picture over the bulb.

_Jonah, Elizabeth and Leah Prowse_


End file.
